Zun-Kholba (Russian: Зун-Холба; Buryat: Зγγн Холбо, Züün Kholbo) is a term that refers to two distinct entities in Russia: a rural locality in the Republic of Buryatia, and a major gold deposit in Eastern Sayan.
1. Rural Locality
Zun-Kholba is a rural locality (an ulus) in Okinsky District, Republic of Buryatia, Russia. According to the 2010 census, its population was 29. The settlement has three streets. It is located approximately 171 km southeast of Orlik, the administrative center of Okinsky District. The nearest rural locality is Samarta. Its geographic coordinates are 52°09′N 100°57′E.
2. Zun-Kholba Gold Deposit
The Zun-Kholba deposit is a large orogenic-type gold deposit located in the Eastern Sayan region of Russia, within the Altai-Sayan fold system of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. It is considered the largest gold deposit in Eastern Sayan and has produced more than 50 tons of gold during past mining operations. The deposit features quartz-sulfide replacement ores and shallow quartz veins, with quartz-pyrite ore bodies being dominant. Paragenetically late base metal-bearing quartz veins occur at shallow levels. Scientific studies have proposed a mantle-plume model for its formation, suggesting a genetic relationship between ore-forming processes and intraplate alkaline mafic magmatism linked to a plume impact in the Early Devonian on the lithosphere of the Tuva-Mongolian terrane.
